The Fig

I love figs, the season we can get them in all their glory is too short, and out of season they are really not worth bothering with. I am very lucky that we live just off Green Lanes with all its Turkish grocers meaning the choice of figs is excellent. I could resist buying a whole tray of these amazing figs last week, a complete greedy indulgence.

My favorite way is to eat figs fresh, on their own without messing in very large quantities. However I thought I would make something so I could enjoy figs throughout the rest of the year. I think Jane Grigson hit the nail on the head when she said “I could not quite say that figs are my favourite fruit, they are the fruit I most long for”.

I heard this recipe on the radio early in the year and haven’t been able to get it out of my head since but I’ve been waiting for the figgy season. A creation of the fabulous Diana Henry.

Fig and Pomegranate Jam

• 400g figs, stalks removed and quartered
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon and juice of 2
• 1 cooking apple, cored, peeled and chopped
• 125ml apple juice
• 125ml pomegranate juice
• 400g granulated sugar with pectin (jam sugar)
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Put a couple of saucers into the freezer. Sterilise two 250ml jars.

Add the fruit, zest and juices to a large saucepan and cook on a medium heat until all the fruit is softened, about 15 minutes. Add the sugar to the pan and cook gently until the sugar dissolves completely. Now bring the jam to a rolling boil until it reaches 105 degrees on a sugar thermometer. To check the jam is at setting point take one of the sauces out of the freezer, add a teaspoon of jam to the saucer and leave for a minute, from the outside of the jam blob gently push inwards with your finger, if the surface of the jam wrinkles then you have reached setting point, if not continue cooking for a few minutes and repeat with a new saucer until it wrinkles.

Stir in the molasses. Spoon into your sterilised jars and seal.

Proceed to tidy up the sticky mess you have made of your kitchen (if you are like me!).

As this is a really special jam I am going to save some jars for gifting but the sneaky jar I have kept for us goes beautifully on yoghurt and on top of pancakes.

I find jam making really relaxing but do make sure you have enough time free, it cant be rushed, and neither can the clean up.